(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus connected to a server, an image processing system, and an image processing method.
(2) Related Art
As an image processing system in which an image processing apparatus such as a scanner and a copier is connected to a server and a plurality of client terminals via a network, the following system is disclosed in Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2005-129976. In the system, (1) an image processing apparatus reads an original image according to an instruction from a user, transmits an image file which is obtained by reading the original image to a server to have the image file saved in the server, and notifies a client terminal specified by the user that the image file is saved in the server by e-mail. Then, (2) the client terminal which receives the e-mail accesses the server according to an instruction from a user of the client terminal, and as a result, the user can use the image file.
In the server, files of a large number of users using the system are saved. Therefore, in order to ensure security, the system may have a construction in which only a specified user is permitted to access the server.
However, if the number of users who are permitted to access the server is more limited, the number of users who are not permitted to access the server increases. Therefore, in the system, the large number of users cannot use an image file even if client terminals used by the users receive a notification by e-mail, which causes a decrease in convenience.
A user of a notification destination of e-mail can be notified of a password for accessing the server. However, it is preferable to keep information such as a password as confidential as possible because many files of other users are saved in the server.